Vishnudharmottara Purana (Art and Architecture)
by Bhagyashree Sarma | 2021 | 59,457 words
This page relates ‘Elements of Drama (f): Dramatic Style� of the study on the elements of Art and Architecture according to the Vishnudharmottara Purana: an ancient text whose third book deals with various artisan themes such as Architecture, Painting, Dance, Grammar, etc. Many chapters are devoted to Hindu Temple architecture and the iconography of Deities and their installation rites and ceremonies.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
1.3. Elements of Drama (f): Dramatic Style
Dramatic style is generally referred to by the word ṛtپ in the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa. There are four kinds of ṛtپs i.e., dramatic styles accepted in the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa.
These are,
The way or style of delivering speech or dialogues in a Drama is regarded as ī-ṛtپ.[2] The ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa also agrees on it.[3] According to the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, ٳٱī-ṛtپ mainly displays ī and Āṭīṛtپ exhibits raudrarasa.[4] The ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa agrees on it.[5] Because, according to the ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa, ٳٱī-ṛtپ is associated with the qualities of power, heroism, leaving, forgiveness and straightness[6] and the ī is seen to be delineated by these qualities.[7] Abhinavagupta states that ٳٱī-ṛtپ is the action of mind and Āṭ�-ṛtپ is the action of body.[8] The state of ܳٲ is the ٳī屹 of ī.[9]
It increases energy and excitement to mind and projects the heroic sentiment through the ñ屹 i.e., transitory feelings of mind like:
- ṛt i.e., firmness[10] ,
- mati i.e., intellect[11] ,
- garva i.e., pride[12] ,
- ṛt i.e., memory[13] ,
- tarka i.e., speculation[14] and
- dzñ i.e., horripilation[15] .[16]
On the other hand, krodha is the ٳī屹 of raudrarasa and it is all about the actions of body.[17] So if the view points of the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa and Abhinavagupta are compared, it can be noticed that ٳٱī-ṛtپ which exhibits ī remains as the action of mind and Āṭ�-ṛtپ which exhibits raudrarasa remains as the action of limb. śī-ṛtپ is associated with the sentiment of love i.e., śṛṅ.[18]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
bhāratī ٱī caiva kauśikyārabhaṭ� tathā/ catastro vṛttaya� proktā�.// վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, 3.20. 56
[2]:
vākyapradhānā tu bhāratī/ Ibid., 3.20.56
[3]:
bhāratī saṃskṛtaprāyo vāgvyāpāro naṭāśraya�/ ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa, 6.21
[4]:
tathā vīarasaprāyā vijñeyā ٱī ṛp/ tathā raudrapracārā ca bhavatyārabhaṭ� // վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, 3.20.57
[5]:
…�..vīre sāttvatyārabhaṭ� puna�/rase raudre ca…�.// ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa, 6.122
[9]:
uttamaprakṛtirvīra ܳٲsthāyibhāvaka�/ ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa, 3.232
[11]:
Ibid., p.418
[12]:
Ibid., p.184
[13]:
Ibid., p.629
[14]:
Ibid., p.231
[15]:
Ibid., p.472
[16]:
sañcāriṇastu ṛtmatigarvaṛttarkadzñ/ ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa, 3.234
[17]:
muṣṭiprahārapātanabikṛtacchedāvadāraṇeścaiva/ saṃgrāmasaṃbhramādyairasyoddīptibhavet prauḍ�// Ibid., 3.228
[18]:
śṛṅ kauśikī…�/ Ibid., 6.122